Pipe-tongs.



G. A. LANE.

PIPE TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1910.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Inunton Gear-9e fl.Lane.

witnesses.

RSCO. WASHINGTON, p. c.

TED STATE8 PATENT FFEOE.

GEORGE A. LANE, OF FLORENCE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO ANNIE 1V1. LANE, OFBURIBANK, CALIFORNIA.

PIPE-TONGS.

Patented June 6, 1911.

Application filed June 28, 1910. Serial No. 569,315.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen A. LANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Florence, county of Los Angeles, State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Tongs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to pipe tongs which are used for screwingtogether sections of pipe and the device is particularly useful inattaching the sections of oil well casings.

In its construction the device comprises a jaw which is adapted toengage the face of the pipe so as to hold the tongs against slipping.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby uponthe reverse movement of the tongs the teeth of this jaw withdraw fromcontact wit-h the surface of the pipe. In this way I prevent the teethfrom wearing away. In practice where the teeth rub on the surface of thepipe as suggested the teeth must be replaced with great frequency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in whichthe chain which passes around the pipe will always be taut in spite ofthe slight lengthening of the chain which may occur as the 'chain wears.

In the drawing forming a part of the annexed specification, Figure 1 isa plan of the device certain parts being broken away and showing thedevice applied to a well casing which is shown in cross section. Fig. 2is aside elevation showing a portion of the lever and showing the shoeto which the lever attaches, the chain being broken away.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 3 represents a shoe which isin the form of a block of reduced width near its outer side andpresenting a concave forward edge 4; which fits approximately to thecurvature, of the surface of the pipe casing. This shoe is hollow andforms a tapered 0r wedge shaped pocket which receives the main jaw 6,said main jaw having teeth 7 arranged in a concave are so as to bite theface of the pipe as shown.

The upper and lower walls of the shoe 3 are formed with slots 8 whichextend substantially in a radial direction with respect to the center ofthe pipe casing and into these slots 8 fixed pins 9 project from thesides of the main jaw as indicated. These pins prevent the dislodgmentof the main jaw from the shoe.

At one side the shoe 3 near its rear edge is formed with a socket 10which receives the inner end of a lever 11, said socket presenting cars12 at the sides thereof which are formed with slots 13 and these slotsreceive the ends of a pin 14: which projects through the lever 11 asshown. Adjacent to this point lever 11 is provided with cross bars 15which are rigidly secured thereto by rivets 16 as shown. These barsproject at each side of the lever 11 and on one side they are connectedby a pivot pin 17 with a shank 18, which extends rearwardly from therear edge of the main jaw. On the other side the bars 15 are providedwith notches or recesses 19 on the edge remote from the pipe casing.

On the side remote from the pocket 10 a lug 20 projects from the shoeand to this lug the end of a chain 21 is attached by a removable pivotbolt 22. This chain 21 is formed of double links 23 and intermediate orsingle links 24: which are attached together in alternating arrangementby pivot pins 25. These links are curved and present their concave edgeagainst the face of the pipe so that these links operate as jaws or jawlinks to clamp the pipe. To the end of this shank 21 an arm 26 isattached and this arm has a handle 27 at its upper end adjacent to whichthe arm is provided with a transverse pin 28 which is adapted to engagein the notches 19 when the arm is passed into the space between the bars15.

In using the tongs the concave edge 4.- of the shoe 3 is applied to theside of the pipe as indicated and the chain 21 is then passed around thepipe. The handle 27 is then manipulated so as to hook the pins 28 intothe notches 19 and the lever 11 is then pulled in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. In this movement the lever rocks onthe pin 14 as the fulcrum forces the main jaw 6 against the side of thepipe. Rocking the lever in this direction pulls on the arm 26 and drivesthe chain 21 taut around the pipe. In this way the pipe is very securelygripped by the tongs so that it will be rotated by the lever. On thereverse movement of the lever 11 to take a new grip upon the pipe, itwill be seen that the lever will rock slightly upon the pin 14 in areverse direction, and the cross bars 15 will pull the main jaw 6outwardly so that it will withdraw into the shoe 3, and in this way theteeth 7 will be brought out of contact with the surface of the pipewhile the concave edge 4: of the shoe rests upon the pipe. This reversemovement of the lever will also evidently slacken up the chain 21 sothat the links will not exert any gripping pressure on the pipe. As soonas the lever is pulled in a forward direction such as in dicated by thearrow in Fig. 1 the pipe tongs will immediately grasp the pipe in themanner described above.

The slots 13 are for the purpose of giving a slight play at the point 14to give an increased movement in taking up the slack of the chain 21.

Special attention is called to the curvature of the inner edges of thelinks of the chain 21. On account of this curvature the links grip thesurface of the pipe very effectively and develop an enormous frictiontending to prevent the slipping of the chain when the main jaw isapplied in a forward movement.

IVhat I claim is 1. A device of the class described having a shoe withan edge lying adjacent to the side of the pipe, a movable jaw mounted insaid shoe having teeth adapted to engage the pipe and normallyprojecting beyond said edge of said shoe, a lever, means in connect-ionwith said lever and said jaw for clamping the pipe on a forward movementof said lever, said edge of said shoe resting against the face of saidpipe when the teeth of said aw withdraw from contact with the pipe, on areverse movement of said lever.

2. A device of the class described having a shoe adapted to engage theface of the pipe, a main jaw movably mounted in said shoe having teethadapted to engage the face of the pipe, a lever mounted 011 said shoeadapted to apply said main jaw to the pipe on the forward movement ofsaid lever, and means attached to said shoe and to said lever forclamping the side of the pipe opposite to said main jaw on a forwardmovement of said lever.

33. A device of the class described having a shoe with a pocket therein,a. main jaw received in said pocket and having a limited movementtherein, said aw having teeth adapted to engage the face of the pipewhen said jaw is pressed toward the pipe and adapted to withdraw intosaid pocket when said main aw is moved away from the pipe, a levermounted on said shoe and connected with said main jaw, and means inconnection with said shoe and said lever for clamping the side of thepipe opposite to said main jaw.

4:. A device of the class described comprising a shoe adapted to seatagainst the side of the pipe, a main jaw received in said shoe andhaving a pin and slot connecting therewith, said jaw having teeth on theinner edge thereof adapted to engage the pipe and adapted to withdrawfrom contact with the pipe upon a forward movement of said jaw into saidshoe, a lever having a pin and slot connection with said shoe, means forpivotally connecting said jaw on one side of said lever and a chainattached to one side of said shoe and having links presenting curvededges engaging the side of the pipe, and means for connecting said chainwith said lever on the side opposite to said aw.

5. A device of the class described having a movable jaw with teethadapted to engage the side of the pipe, a shoe connected to said jaw,and contacting with the pipe, a movable member adapted to clamp said jawagainst the pipe when moved in a forward direction, said jaw beingarranged to withdraw said teeth from contact with the pipe upon areverse movement of said movable member.

6. A device of the class described having a shoe adapted to seat againstthe side of the pipe, a movable jaw mounted on said shoe having teethnormally projecting beyond the face of said shoe, which is adjacent tothe pipe, said aw being adapted to withdraw outwardly on said shoe inthe direction away from the pipe, a chain attached to said shoe, andhaving a plurality of curved links passing around the pipe and engagingthe face thereof, and a lever pivoted on said shoe, and connecting saidjaw and said chain for forcing said jaw against the pipe and taking upthe tension of said chain.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 22nd day of June, 1910.

G. A. LANE.

lVitnesses F. D. AMMEN, EDWARD A. STRAUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

